Author
Topic: Ready to add 2nd Hive body! (Read 3498 times)

I have two NUCS that are ready for a 2nd hive body! Shall I add the new deeps to the top or the bottom? Should I manipulate any of the frames or just leave alone? I'm building up for the winter. I"m NOT going to take any honey this season.

I know around here (not far away from you) people put the nuc frames in a deep box, then add another deep, say around Aug. (roughly) and winter them that way. I started with 2- 3 frame each hives a couple years ago, and they built up terrific, with the exception of brood chilling last winter (toward the walls)., and a mouse. :evil:

Anonymous

Mchero, My experience has been that if the bees have drawn out at least 8 frames in the original hive body it's time to add a second hive body on top. There's no need to do any manipulation unless you want to pull two of the brood frames up into the top hive body to encourage the bees to start working in it quicker. If you do this, close up the other frames in the bottom hive body and add one frame of foundation on either end to refill the bottom hive body.

Ordered the two hive bodies from Betterbee last Monday. I hope to see the hive bodies soon. Thanks for the tips.

RM

Quote from: carbide

Mchero, My experience has been that if the bees have drawn out at least 8 frames in the original hive body it's time to add a second hive body on top. There's no need to do any manipulation unless you want to pull two of the brood frames up into the top hive body to encourage the bees to start working in it quicker. If you do this, close up the other frames in the bottom hive body and add one frame of foundation on either end to refill the bottom hive body.